May 2016 Board Meeting Minutes
Minutes May 2016 SRG Board Meeting
Date: May 18, 2016
Location: Soulard Station, 1911 S. 12th St.
The meeting was called to order at 7:06 p.m. by President Bill Clendenin.
Members in attendance: Beth Bennett, Bill Clendenin, Luann Denten, Venessa Kobrin, Jackie Parker, Scott Plackemeier, Neil Putz, Christopher Schwarz, Alicia Stellhorn, Gary Toribio, Wade Weistreich, Mike Ziemann
Members Absent: N/A
Housekeeping: 1. Meal Signup
2. Gateway Grizzlies game Saturday, July 30. Mike Ziemann will throw out the first pitch.
Issue 1 of 3: Board Liaisons for Committees
The Board confirmed that the following members will serve as liaisons for the following committees, organizations, and events:
Communications: Jackie Parker
Fundraising: Jackie Parker
Beautification: Luann Denten
Code and Zoning: Beth Bennett
Membership: Beth Bennett
Residential Promotions: Luann Denten
Safety: Scott Plackemeier
MGI: Jackie Parker/Gary Toribio (as Directors of MGI)
Parlor Tour: Mike Ziemann
Soulard Station: Neil Putz
It was noted that directors should serve as liaisons and officers should not serve as liaisons. However, the bylaws do not contain any such rule. This appears to be an informal policy and is not binding on the Board. The Bylaws do provide that one (1) Board member shall serve as a liaison.
Issue 2 of 3: FY17 Operating Budget Presentation
Two separate documents were presented to the board. The first is the overall SRG Budget
for FY17. The second is a comparative budget between 2016-2017 and 2015-2016. Treasurer Alicia Stellhorn clarified that there are not line items listings for each specific item (e.g., brooms and dust pan). There are also inconsistencies between the years in the comparative budget due to line items falling twice in prior years or not in the current year (e.g., Tap ’n’ Run fell twice in one FY due to the dates of the events and not in another). Some expenses have increased due to improvements (e.g., wireless internet added to the Soulard Station).
FY17 is July 1, 2016 thru June 30, 2017.
Issue 3 of 3: Committee Reports for Proposed Operating Budgets
1. Beautification: Richard Eaton
• The Molly’s Fundraiser May 17 has to this point generated $7,800 in cash. There is additional income from Square (credit and debit cards) that will be added to this total. Several local establishments donated to the fundraiser via silent auction items and cash donations.
• Eaton clarified that a factor in the Beautification Budget is the weather as that dictates watering levels and plants that can thrive.
• Eaton stated that the Beautification Committee, via fundraising and events, has always been able to cover their operating expenses.
• The proposed expenses for FY17 is $12,000 and the proposed income is $14,000, leaving the committee with a $2,000 surplus.
The landscaping and care of the Soulard Station gardens was recently assumed by the Beautification Committee. The current issues regarding the hand-off were discussed in general. Mowing was identified as a specific issue requiring reconciliation between the Soulard Station and the Beautification Committee.
A section of the proposed Beautification budget was labeled as MISC. Alicia Stellhorn requested that the funds in the MISC account be placed in specifically labeled accounts. Eaton identified $500 to Volunteer Expenses and $500 to fundraising.
2. Membership: Jill Weissgerber
• Changes that have been indicated for the Membership Budget FY17 are the following:
the Membership Drive Expense will need to be increased to $3,500, entertainment up to $600, and Special Events to $1,500.
• The Committees will be doing a drive for lapsed members and members who have not yet renewed.
• The online directory project is currently on hold awaiting a tech-savvy volunteer to reinvigorate this project.
• The proposed expense budget for FY17 is $5,800 and the proposed income is $6,600.
3. Communication: Jeremy Mehrle
• The majority of expenses are absorbed by other committees.
• The proposed budget for FY17 is $443.40 and the proposed incomes is $0.
4. Fundraising: Rick Dungey (could not attend but sent his budget requests to Stellhorn)
a. Vices and Virtues (Luann Denten)
• The main change for the event is the location. For the 2017 Ball the venue will be the South Broadway Athletic Club. This change should end fiscally in the event’s favor.
• Last year the attendance for the event was 220 and the event this year will have a goal of 300 attendees, with one tier of tickets.
b. Overall Fundraising
• In previous years Mardi Gras was the SRG’s biggest fundraiser. But the revenue is unpredictable due to the weather and the fundraiser involves a significant volunteer commitment on a day when many potential volunteers are engaged in other activities.
• Attempts were made to utilize the Station in cold weather but manning the building with volunteers was difficult and this was not continued.
• Over the past few years, Soulard Station has been used for the fundraiser. SRG is grandfathered in and can put a booth directly in the red zone.
• The GO! St. Louis Marathon cheer station April 10 had $750 in income.
• Wreath sales was a great fundraiser last year but is questionable for this year.
• “Que in the Lou” is a Downtown event not factored into the budget but which may occur and result in income.
• Oktoberfest is budgeting $8,000 in income.
• Parlour Tour’s budget was not submitted and the income actual expenses and income from last year will carry over to the FY17 budget.
• Trivia Night had a slight decline in table sales, but is budgeting $6,000 in income for FY 2017.
• Fundraising expenses are shared between events as tangible items and equipment are shared between fundraisers.
5. Residential Promotion: Luann Denten • The largest line item for Residential Promotion is merchandise.
• The Residential Promotions Committee is proposing a potential new project: Historical signage and markers. June will be used as the time to identify any new projects.
• The proposed expenses for FY17 are $1,625 for events, $3,500 for merchandise and the proposed income is $5,040.
6. Safety: Scott Plackemeier
• The safety committee would like to see more block parties in the future.
• The proposed expense for FY17 is $400.
7. Soulard Station: Jay and Vicki Morris
• The Soulard Station has operated at a loss for FY16 and indicates a projected loss for FY17. The rental activities defray the costs of the Soulard Station.
• A total of 139 events were booked in FY16 (35 “non Soulardian” events and 104 Soulard resident events, including various SRG meetings).
• The Soulard Station was booked 38 percent of FY16 (28 percent by Soulard residents/committees and 10 percent by “non-Soulardians”) leaving the Soulard Station not utilized for 62 percent of FY16.
• The Station committee plans on reaching out to the community to schedule weekday/daytime corporate events in FY17.
• The maintenance of the Soulard Station gardens was discussed.
• Earlier in the meeting, Beautification had requested $1,500 for garden-related expenses at Soulard Station, in connection with plantings and tree maintenance. The Board added an additional $3,000 to Soulard Station garden-related expenses like mowing, with the understanding that volunteer labor may reduce this expense item.
This $4,500 total will be shown as an expense on the Soulard Station’s budget as it relates solely to this property, but this amount is subject to the control of the Beautification Committee.
8. Board Budget
• Charitable contributions to outside groups and from outside groups were reviewed and discussed.
• Budget for bank fees was left unchanged.
• UMSL’s Leadership Academy was left as a budgeted item. The $800 will allow SRG to send two individuals to the Leadership Academy.
• The $100 budget for meals specific to Board meetings remains unchanged, totaling $1,100. The overall meals and entertainment budget remains at $2,500. It was noted that the actual expense for FY 2016 was substantially less than the budgeted $2,500,
• The $400 budget for office supplied remains unchanged.
• The $600 budget for the meeting space used for General Meetings remains unchanged, $50 per month
• Taxes and Licenses remain at $0 dollars. The line item is a carryover from previous years and is no longer applicable.
• Donations are budgeted at $200.
• The Board discussed whether special projects should be listed as an operating expense, or as a capital expense paid from SRG savings.
The June Board meeting will serve as an opportunity for Board members to identify special projects and wants and needs of the neighborhood and to apply specific dollar figures to said projects.
Motions:
Motion: Neil Putz motioned that the FY17 SRG Operating Budget is approved for presentation to General Membership at the June General Membership meeting.
Second: Mike Ziemann
Passed 11-0.
Adjournment:
Alicia Stellhorn motioned to adjourn, Mike Ziemann seconded and the meeting adjourned at 10:32 p.m.